The Spring 2018 Family to Family class with instructors (top photo): Barb and Gary Arnos in the front row (seated left). Some of the 15-member class that celebrated their graduation on Monday, April 9.​Read below to see when the next classes will be offered and who to contact for more information.

NAMI Four County's four classes...

Family to Family

Family to Family is a 12 week class for family members and friends who have a loved one with a mental illness. Helping professionals, such as teachers and clergy who are not trained behavioral health professionals, have also found this class useful. Each week a different topic is covered, but the material is always presented from the standpoint of what a family member, friend or helping professional needs to know. Our Family to Family coordinator is Sharon Weaver. If you have questions about the class or want to be placed on a contact list for the next class, please call Sharon at 419/335-1099.

Family and Friends

Family and Friends is a 4 hour class that covers much of the same information as Family to Family; however, it does not cover all of the information and some that it does cover is not done in as great a depth as the 12 week Family to Family class allows. However, the main difference between the two mental health education classes is that Family and Friends does not allow much interaction between participants and the class leaders -- the opportunity to share experiences and develop a bond that those experiences allow family members and friends who have gone through them to develop with others who truly understand what they have gone through. Nevertheless, for persons whose schedule does not allow the commitment of Family to Family, but who feel a real need to better understand the illness that their loved one has -- Family and Friends does a wonderful job. Participants will receive a manual that goes into more detail that the 4 hour class allows and for those with Internet access they can also download the manual to a Kindle or similar device. Classes are usually offered on a Saturday morning (these include a hot breakfast) or weekday late afternoon/early evening (these include a Subway or pizza dinner).

NAMI Basics

NAMI Basics is a 4 week class for family members, friends and helping professionals who work with children and teenagers who have emotional, behavioral or mental health issues. The class is similar to Family to Family, but the focus is on issues that affect children and their families, so parts of the class address topics such as working with your child’s school and the juvenile court system. Each week, participants will receive a comprehensive collection of hand-outs that summarize the material that is covered plus much more to put in a 3-ring binder that you will be given at the second class. The instructors have children with emotional, behavioral or mental health issues. So, they can speak from a position of having gone through some of the same things that those taking the class have experienced.​ For persons with limited income who wish to take the class, but cannot afford the gas money for to get to the class, a gas allowance can be provided.

Free community trainings...

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training that is sponsored by NAMI Four County and taught by instructors who have completed a week-long training presented by Mental Health First Aid USA, the organization that developed the program. Participants will be introduced to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents. The program builds understanding of the importance of early intervention and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis; select interventions and provide initial help; and connect young people to professional, peer, social and self-help care. The course teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, ADHD, disruptive behaviors disorders, and substance use disorder. Participants do not learn to diagnose, nor how to provide any therapy or counseling -- rather participants learn to support a youth developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in an emotional crisis by applying a core five-step action plan:Assess for risk of suicide or harm.Listen nonjudgmentally.Give reassurance and information.Encourage appropriate professional help.Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

This training is underwritten by the Dennis Deeds Motorcycle Benefit for Suicide Awareness and a grant from Wauseon VFW Post 1424. NAMI thanks them for their assistance!

Strategies to manage challenging behavior in youth

In partnership with the Defiance College Hench Autism Studies Program, NAMI Four County offers a 3 hour, Saturday morning workshop for parents, grandparents, caregivers or volunteers who work with youth who may have disruptive, challenging behaviors and the youth do not respond to your requests or strategies to stop the behavior(s). At the end of three hours, participants will leave with a practical, research-based action plan to prevent these challenging behaviors and promote positive behavior with youth and adolescents that they are involved with. The presenter, Dr. Clarissa Barnes, is the director of the Hench Autism Studies program and an assistant professor of special education at Defiance College. The class is ideal for parents and caregivers of children with challenging behaviors as well as persons whose job or volunteer work with children and adolescents brings them in contact with situations and behaviors that seem unmanageable.